Project 'Half-life'
by Zephkir
Summary: Kagura lives a life many would kill for. Living a comfortable life, contented with her family, best friend and danger-free surroundings will become a distant memory when she is forced into a war she never knew existed.


**This plot takes place 3 years after the last episode of the first season of the anime, so some of the later details won't correspond with this plot c:**

**May possibly be AOT Character x My OC (depends how this plays out, I only have a few ideas for this FanFiction ^^)**

**- Also, this is my first real fanfiction ^^**

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><p>Night had just fallen. The sun had only just dipped its head behind the horizon, from then darkness continued to spread rapidly across the sky and the moon climbed up to take the place of its burning brother to sit and bathe the world below it in the ghostly, silver sheen. The silver reflection of each roof tile outlined each building as it stood in the grand city of Nakano, so named after the man who founded it. It was said that he built it up from scratch by his bare hands, but whether it was fact or fiction no one knew, as no one from that time, was alive currently to confirm the tale. Of course the royal family were descendents of Nakano and took his name as their own, they of course would support the tale that was told, but bias was possible, anything to boost the name of their family tree.<p>

Weaving through the narrow, cramped streets trotted a small statured silhouette of a young woman. Sandstone brick walls towered above her as she moved, casting deep black shadows across her path, from a distance it could appear that she was walking on black tar, which threatened to consume her as she crossed each shadow's glare. The figure was lithe and each turn around the streets was taken with care, although she often found herself colliding with walls or various objects that had been left in the alley as she proceeded with her fast gate. Oddly, she glanced over her shoulder many a time while walking, as if she suspected she were being followed and her hunch was proved right as another shape barrelled from behind her, tripping over a loose piece of drainage pipe and was sent crashing to the ground. The girl whirled around at the sound, her stance immediately squared, a swirling mixture of both fear and aggression churning in her bright green orbs. Though her stature relaxed as the figure of a young man spoke and rose again.

"Hey Skip..." Came the voice, it was deep and gentle accompanied with a sheepish grin. "Guess sneaking up on you is never going to work, huh?" He brushed his hand through his ruffled blonde hair, ducked his head slightly to hide his embarrassment, but keeping his piercing blue optics looking down and focused on her.

With an expression of cold disappointment plastered on the girl's face, she shook her head slowly, displacing her deep brown hair, so it shifted against her back where it lay. "Of course it won't. I heard you following as soon as we left the college." She muttered, though there was a glimmering amusement dancing in her orbs now. She could have recognised that face anywhere, the clumsy figure of her childhood friend Jacque, although she often referred to him as clumsy, she knew that was the main factor that made them so alike and possibly the strongest reason they were such good friends.

"But I suppose you've got nothing better than to follow me around." She continued as she turned around to keep walking the direction she was heading, before she snapped her head around to look at the guy again, "And, if you wouldn't mind Jacque, can you not call me Skip anymore." She said, faking a hostile tone as she started walking.

Jacque kept her up with her fast gate, easily, his long legs making each stride at least two of hers; as he did stand, almost, a foot taller than herself.

"Why?" He whined, knowing nothing annoyed her more than acting like a child. "Should I call you Miss Tsukino? What's made you change your mind anyway? You love your nickname." He jested, lightly bumping his elbow against her shoulder constantly as they walked.

"Come on, the strong silent type isn't you." He commented as they padded for a moment in silence.

Now she glanced at him, a smile etched on her face now. "I'm no actress then. But you're a pain in the ass sometimes you know that?" She chuckled lightly, a laugh that wasn't in the slightest beautiful or melodic, more of a series of high pitched squeaks matched with a few odd hiccup sounds.

"And Kagura will do just fine. I mean, 'Skip' is starting to catch on at the college, my teachers are starting to use it and hell it's weird." Her explanation was met with a throaty chuckle from Jacque.

In the matter of a heartbeat Kagura and Jacque found themselves facing two identical buildings. Their homes. Identical because Kagura's father had built both of them years ago, before the two were born, which had created a very close bond between the two families.

Jacque turned his head towards Kagura and jabbed his elbow gently against her shoulder again. "What're you waiting for? Your mom will be happy to see you, she's been on her own today remember?" Kagura turned her gaze to her best friend and smiled, of course he'd remember something like that, Jacque never forgot the smallest thing, his memory was incredible. It was true, her father was a builder and had gone to a different part of the city to create some new houses for the rising population in Nakano, so it was her guess he wouldn't be back for at least month and seeing as her father would normally have stayed home, this would be the first time in a long time her mother would have spent the day at home alone while Kagura was away at the college. Her mother was a retired medic and a housewife to the family. Well, there was nothing more she could do, after all there were limited career choices in Nakano, the only choices were: medic, livestock controllers, builders and soldiers.

"Right." She murmured, as she stepped towards her home, she felt Jacque's hand softly grip her shoulder, she turned to face him as he spoke. "Don't think for one second I'll ever ditch your nickname, okay?" He chirped, removing his hand from her shoulder. "You remember where it came from? When I taught you how to skim stones on the river?"

"And I said 'the stones look like they're skipping,'" She repeated with a smile at the distant memory. "You'll never let me forget will you?" She phrased her words more like a statement than an actual question.

"Never." He said cheerfully.

With that, she jabbed him playfully in the gut, only to notice he had more muscle than usual, so much so, she actually felt pain in her own hand as her knuckles made contact. Seeing that he would use it as an excuse to flatter himself, Kagura stayed quiet about it and stepped back, just as he did too. The pair said their farewells and returned to their homes.

Upon entering her home Kagura stepped in, closing the door behind her swiftly and slipping the thick, fur-lined coat, she'd be wearing, off and hung it on a mounted pair of deer antlers on the wall beside her. Once she had done so, she turned her attention to the quiet room, it consisted of the most basic furniture, a table surrounded by chairs, many armchairs which were all turned to face the glowing fireplace, an old stove, worktops and a trunk which was pushed up against the furthest wall. What appeared to make the room more dismal was the dark coloured walls and floors, all made of the same type of wood, a dark pine perhaps.

Now Kagura turned her attention to the only figure in the house, her mother; in her usual place. Perched on an armchair by the fire place, her thin form illuminated by the radiance of the flames beside her; turning her dark brown hair a bright amber, highlighting each crease and shadow in her thick cotton dress and making her dark eyes glimmer with dancing flecks of orange. Leaning against her leg was a lean wolfhound, it's grey-coloured fur also distorted by the fire and despite its long coat and fire, it shivered constantly and kept its side pressed against her mother's limb, as if needing the support.

It was only when the older woman looked up towards the door did she see her own daughter. For a moment Kagura was certain she saw pain twisting in her mother's dark optics, but it changed immediately so she confirmed her suspicion as a trick of the light.

"Kagura." She said softly, reaching out her hand.

Kagura crossed the room quickly and held her mother's hand with her own. "How's today been mom? Without dad and all."

"Quiet." She replied quietly. "I'm glad your home." Her voice seemed to gain a lot of strength as she rose to her feet, removing the creases in her dress with a few swift strokes of her hands. She crossed the room in a few heartbeats towards the stove and stirred the contents of a pan carefully. "Dinner is ready. Stew, I hope that's alright." She turned her head to face her daughter as she spoke.

After splitting the meal in two and pouring it into two bowls, Kagura met her mother at the table, sitting opposite her. She couldn't help but notice the dog again, lying on the ground, it's chin rested on her mother's foot, still continuously shaking.

"More of the livestock's gone missing on the Northern Ranch. Kasio told me this morning." Her mother mused quietly around small sips of her stew, her tone was surprised yet her expression didn't change, as if it were just a matter of fact. She referred to Kasio, he was Jacque's father and a livestock controller, though because of an injury to his spine, when he was charged at by a bull, he only worked some days, but still, he worked enough to be able to support his family and to get enough gossip to exchange with both families when he returned.

"More!" Kagura snapped her eyes up to look at her mother who was staring back, her gaze level and calm. "What could be taking them? Thieves? Wild animals?" Though, when she thought about it, from what Kasio had explained the livestock that were held in all four ranches, the North, East, South and West, were guarded day and night, so how could some go missing? Was someone smuggling them home for their families?

"I doubt that my dear." Her mother murmured, "Kasio has never mentioned anything like that." She was sipping her stew again, "Makes you think though, all these animals are being taken, right under the noses of our livestock controllers and they've trained all their lives to care for and protect the animals we have."

Kagura listened quietly, as she stripped a thin cow rib of its meat with her teeth. It was odd, but there was nothing they could do. It wasn't as if she were a livestock controller, her duties were solely to be a medic, as was Jacque's. You could only train to be a medic if you were intelligent and willing to work. Whereas most people they knew would become a soldier, simply because they never had to work. They got paid a ridiculously high salary from the royal family, for protecting Nakano, when in fact all they did was hang around, drunk.

After all, nothing ever happened in Nakano City. . .


End file.
